Varnishing floorboards - what's best?

[BoBoo]

Hello. I've decided I can take our cream carpets no more (never my choice, they came with the house) and am going to take it back to the floorboards. I think they're in pretty good nick and I have a sander, so I think I just need some varnish. I remember seeing on here that yacht varnish is a good choice - is that true? Saw this on Amazon, which seems like a good deal, although about £8.50 with postage. Or would some Wickes floor varnish do the job? That's about £10.50 a litre, but can just hop on my bike and pick some up.

if you use varnish, even up the colours of the timber first (Colron or own-brand). Softwoods tend to yellow with age. Don't use a colored varnish as it will be patchy when touched up or if you brush it on thicker or thinner.

Unless you want a floor that looks like a toffee-apple, use a satin-finish extra hard floor varnish. Some of the newer ones are water-based and do not yellow. The Wickes one seems fine to me and is cheaper than the Ronseal.

I prefer a brush but some people use a big pad.

We usd Osmo polyx hard wax oil. It looks really lovely, I'd highly recommend it. And it's so green and safe you can eat it (apparently)

Thanks for the tips. I hadn't thought of oil or wax, I just thought you varnished. I'm not necessarily opposed to a floor that looks like a toffee-apple - sounds quite nice.